<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-04-20</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000798288</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NEW PLAN EXCEL REALTY TRUST INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NXL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001391514</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Super MergerSub Inc.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O CENTRO PROPERTIES LIMITED, CORPORATE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>OFFICES, 3RD FLOOR, 235 SPRINGVALE ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GLEN WAVERLEY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>C3</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>3150</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>AUSTRALIA</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-04-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>52929108</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>33.15</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>144131638</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-04-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>144131638</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On April 20, 2007, the reporting person acquired from the Issuer an additional 52,929,108 shares of Common Stock pursuant to its exercise of the &quot;top-up option&quot; under the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of February 27, 2007, as amended by the First Amendment thereto, dated as of  April 19, 2007, and as it may be further amended or supplemented from time to time (the &quot;Merger Agreement&quot;), among the Issuer, Excel Realty Partners, L.P., Super IntermediateCo LLC, the reporting person and Super DownREIT MergerSub LLC, at a consideration per share equal to $33.15, payable in the form of (i) $.01 cash per share and (ii) a promissory note of the reporting person in the principal amount of $33.14 per share (an aggregate principal amount of $1,754,070,639).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Other than as described in note 1, these shares of Common Stock were acquired by the reporting person pursuant to its previously announced tender offer for all of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, which tender offer expired at 12:00 midnight, New York time, on April 18, 2007.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">On April 20, 2007, pursuant to the Merger Agreement, the reporting person merged with and into the Issuer, with the Issuer surviving (the &quot;Merger&quot;), and in connection therewith, at the effective time of the Merger, all of the 144,131,638 shares of Common Stock owned by the reporting person were automatically canceled and retired and ceased to exist, and no payment was made with respect thereto.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Andrew Scott</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-04-20</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
